Time Is Marching On! Even in Oklahoma!

We are all on high alert today here at Green Aid. A couple of weeks ago, Will Foster, who was extradited to Oklahoma, had his case heard by the Oklahoma parole board.

The first thing that happened is that all of the charges against him were thrown out as hearsay. The examiner said, in essence, that just because someone has charges against them, those charges cannot be used against them as evidence in another hearing. They also decided that Will had the right to confront the accuser in cross examination, although no one was prepared to testify against him.

This week, at another hearing, the judge recommended to the governor that all charges be dropped, probation discontinued, and Will be released. We still need your help. The Governor needs to hear from you about Will and about all the marijuana prisoners in Oklahoma.

When I step back from this issue (since I am sort of in the forest) and look at Will’s case as an outsider, not an advocate, the whole issue still seems insane.

Our society has created taboos around a substance that is quite benign and continues to persecute it vehemently as if its very fabric is being threatened by it. The cost to society of marijuana prohibition creates the very threat to society’s fabric that marijuana’s opponents have created a concern for. Yes, there is a tear and it has become apparent in the fight over marijuana and that tear is between advocates of the security of the police state. They have created a battle between America versus and people who value freedom and the autonomy of the individual.

That’s why Will’s case is so important and why his victory helps build momentum towards “The Tipping Point”. Since Green Aid began publicizing his case, the Associated Press has picked it up, local newspapers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City have been carrying it as front-page stories, and his story has energized some brave organizations in Oklahoma: Oklahoma NORML, Tulsa NORML, and OK Cannabis.

Time is marching on even in Oklahoma. The 21st Century is holding our society in its grips, it is shaking it and screaming “Everything you know is wrong!”.

Let’s try some oxymorons; the good banker, the honest cop, American health insurance… I could go on, but time is marching on and saying, “Things are never going to be like they used to be, get over it!”

Now let’s try some government concepts; endless war, corporate run government, justice for a price… Obama, are you listening?

Marijuana is where the tire hits the road as far as the police state goes. It’s the issue over which American are likely to go head to head- or I should say head to “hands behind your back please.” That’s why the criminal justice system has made this such an issue, they chose wrong. The people are going to win, not the police state. Thank you Will for holding on.